Scenes from the Contemporary Art Sales in London

Some frustration with reluctant bidders was evident at last week’s contemporary art sale at Sotheby’s when auctioneer Harry Dalmeny found no one prepared to bid for a magazine-and-newspaper collage by Albert Oehlen, whose large paintings can fetch six-figure sums. The collage, perhaps no more than a piece of ephemera, but signed and dated nonetheless, was estimated at £3,000 to £5,000, but Dalmeny could not solicit bids at £1,000, or, then, at £500. Finally he asked for just £100. “Our catalogue cost more than that you rude bunch,” he exploded, finally triggering a bid to a round of applause. “That’s how Saatchi started,” he offered bluffly to the bargain-buyer in the front row.